Definitely not legal; without specific license two copies are being made from one purchased copy. Theoretically it could get libraries into trouble if they are shown to be aware of it and doing nothing to prevent it (for this reason one library I worked at didn't prevent a patron that came in an photocopied an entire textbook but they could not use our for-fee retrieval-and-copy service for that purpose).
Many libraries over the years have tried to work out deals to allow electronic copying and distribution but I don't know if any have had broad adoption yet.
But I have seen many people not even bothering to momentarily check out the books. They just sit in a carrel with a laptop ripping them directly in the library.
|